Can I shoot a Burmese python in my yard? What to know about the invasive species
Turns out, yes. Humanely.
Burmese pythons — large, nonvenomous constrictor snakes — are native to South Asia, but since they were introduced to Florida, they have become one of the most destructive invasive species the state has ever seen. Burmese pythons reproduce in great numbers, according to the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), and eat anything from eggs to small deer.
The pythons can consume meals equivalent to 100% of their body mass and have few natural predators. A 2012 study suggested that in Everglades National Park, pythons were responsible for a decline of 85% to 100% of the population of medium-sized animals such as raccoons and rabbits. Burmese pythons also pose a threat to humans and pets.
They were added to Florida's prohibited species list in 2021.
Every August, the state encourages hunters to thin the Burmese snake population with a 10-day competition, The Florida Python Challenge, which offers prizes for the most killed and the longest python removed in different categories such as professionals, novices and the military. The big prize is $10,000 for the participant in any category who removes the most pythons.
Firearms are not permitted in the Florida Python Challenge because there is no established firearm season at the time.
That restriction doesn't apply to your own property, however, provided that firing a firearm on your property (or someone else's, with permission) doesn't violate any local regulations.
To keep the population down, Burmese pythons can be captured and humanely killed on private property or on FWC-managed lands all year round, with no bag limit, provided you follow area regulations on firearms.
Nonnative reptiles in Florida are not protected, except by anti-cruelty law.
"There is an ethical and legal obligation to ensure nonnative reptiles are killed in a humane manner," the FWC said. The agency recommends a two-step process from the American Veterinary Medical Association:
Step 1: There must be immediate loss of consciousness.
A captive bolt, firearm or air gun must be used to shoot directly to the brain.
Step 2: The brain must be destroyed.
The python must be unconscious.
A small rod, like a screwdriver, spike or pick, must be inserted into the cranial cavity and twisted to ensure the entire brain is destroyed.
"The AVMA recommends a firearm with a muzzle energy of 300 FPE for animals weighing up to 400 lbs and 1,000 FPE for animals over 400 lbs," the FWC said.
Pythons must be humanely killed onsite at the time of capture. Live transport of pythons is not allowed.
The Burmese python is one of the largest snakes in the world, the FWC said. Adults caught in Florida average between 6 and 9 feet, with the largest one measuring an amazing 18 feet long.
They are tan, with dark blotches along the back and sides that look like puzzle pieces or giraffe markings. Burmese pythons have a pyramid-shaped head with a dark, arrowhead-shaped wedge extending toward the nose.
If you spot a Burmese python, avoid it and report the sighting to the FWC. Take a photo and note your location before reporting one of three ways:
Call the exotic Species Hotline at 888-Ive-Got1 (888-483-4681)
Use the free IveGot1 mobile app
Online at IveGot1.org
This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Burmese pythons an invasive Florida threat, what to know about killing
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Who is Taylor Stanberry? Meet the first woman to win Florida Python Challenge
For the first time, a woman won the Florida Python Challenge in July and collected her $10,000 reward this week. More than 900 people from 30 different states and even some from Canada participated in the 2025 Florida Python Challenge last month, removing a record-breaking number of 294 invasive Burmese Pythons in just 10 days. But there was one Florida-native python hunter who removed more of the gigantic snakes than anyone else who participated, securing a $10,000 prize that was awarded to her by the FWC this week. Taylor Stanberry, who stands at less than half the height of most of the snakes she catches, pulled in a whopping 60 pythons during the challenge. Here's what we know about Taylor and what the Python Challenge is, if you aren't familiar. Q&A with the winner: Florida Python Challenge winner captured 60 snakes and $10K. How she did it How does the Florida Python Challenge work? The Florida Python Challenge is one of the many efforts the FWC has in place to keep the python population in the state as low as possible. It offers a cash prize to the python hunter who removes the most pythons over a 10-day period. Although the event is usually held in August, it was held in July this year and included a broader range of hunting grounds. This year, the challenge began on Friday, July 11 at 12:01 a.m. and lasted through Sunday, July 20 at 5 p.m. 'The event, hosted by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the South Florida Water Management District, features an Ultimate Grand Prize of $10,000 for the registered participant who removes the most pythons,' the FWC's website says. 'An exciting addition to this year's event is the inclusion of Everglades National Park as one of eight official Florida Python Challenge competition locations.' Throughout the yearly python challenges, more than 1,100 of the invasive snakes have been removed. Last year's challenge alone removed 195 invasive Burmese pythons. This year, 294 snakes were removed. More about Taylor: Florida Python Challenge winner nabbed 60 pythons Who won the Florida Python Challenge in 2025? Taylor Stanberry, a Naples native, was the 2025 Florida Python Challenge winner. She captured 60 of the invasive snakes, finding 30 of those (hatchlings) in a single nest during one night of the challenge. Stanberry told The Naples Daily News that although she's been python hunting with her husband, Rhett, for years (she has more than a decade of experience), this was her first time participating in the challenge. The biggest python Stanberry caught in this year's challenge was between 9.5 and 10 feet long, more than double her height at 4-feet, 11-inches. Don't worry, she's aware that her height is one of the most recognizable things about her. She's known to her almost 69,000 Instagram followers as @taylor2short. Stanberry said that she also caught a 12-footer the day before the challenge kicked off, which obviously did not count toward her total of 60, since it was before the official start of the challenge. 'I have been catching pythons for over 10 years. It's all about knowing what areas to hunt, what habitat to look for and just putting in the time,' Stanberry said. 'Some nights I go out and won't find a single python, then other nights, I'll find a nest of 60 babies (hatchlings)! I would tell newbie hunters to just put in the time. I've heard from some that they've hunted for a few hours and caught nothing.' Who is Taylor Stanberry? Meet the 2025 Python Challenge winner Stanberry is a 29-year-old Naples native and the first woman to win the Florida Python Challenge grand prize. She works at a canine physical therapy rehab center, is a python contractor with the FWC, runs a small exotic animal rescue and posts online about her adventures with her husband to the tune of almost 69,000 Instagram followers and 227,000 YouTube subscribers. 'I've been looking for wildlife since I was a little kid. I used to go fishing with my dad and we would catch toads and I would bring them home to play with them,' Stanberry said. 'As I've gotten older, I've started traveling around the world looking for wildlife, especially snakes, to video and photograph.' She told The Daily News that she plans to use the prize money to expand her animals' enclosures and pay for gas to do more of what she does best: python hunt. How much is a license to hunt pythons in Florida? Since pythons are invasive and plentiful, you don't need a license or permit to hunt them in Florida. Hunting them in Florida is encouraged because Burmese pythons have very few predators. That's why the FWC runs the statewide python challenge to get the public involved in the hunt for the massive, invasive snakes. Although the chances of completely eradicating pythons from South Florida are low, the hunt helps control their numbers. "Hunters, anglers and outdoor recreationists with experience removing pythons or other large constrictors from the wild are encouraged to apply, with preference given to Florida residents and military veterans," the Fort Myers News-Press reported last year. The FWC also has a Python Action Team that hires contractors to kill the invasive snakes. This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Florida Python Challenge winner Taylor Stanberry caught 60 snakes Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Woman Wins 2025 Florida Python Challenge After Removing More Invasive Snakes Than Anyone Else
A total of 934 participants from 30 states and Canada took part in the annual challenge this year NEED TO KNOW A woman has won the 2025 Florida Python Challenge's grand prize after removing 60 invasive snakes from the Everglades Taylor Stanberry came out victorious after competing with 934 participants from 30 states and Canada to see who could remove the most snakes from the Florida Everglades in 10 days "The record number of invasive pythons removed from the Everglades during this year's competition is a big win for native wildlife," FWC chairman Rodney Barreto said in a statement A woman who removed 60 invasive pythons from South Florida in just 10 days is now $10,000 richer. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission announced the winner of its annual Florida Python Challenge on Wednesday, Aug. 13, after the event removed a record 294 invasive Burmese pythons from the wild. According to the FWC, 934 participants from 30 states and Canada took part in the challenge this year. During the event, hunters attempted to remove the most pythons from the Florida Everglades in a 10-day period, which began on July 11. The grand-prize winner of this year's challenge — a state effort to decrease the number of Burmese pythons in the Everglades and minimize the reptile's threat to native wildlife — was Taylor Stanberry. According to her Instagram, she's a "venomous keeper" and "relocator" who has already been dubbed the "new queen of the Everglades." "The record number of invasive pythons removed from the Everglades during this year's competition is a big win for native wildlife," FWC chairman Rodney Barreto said in a statement. "With over 1,400 pythons removed during all Florida Python Challenge events to date and over 16,000 pythons removed by FWC and South Florida Water Management District contractors since 2017, collective efforts are the key to continuing to address the threats Burmese pythons pose to Florida's native wildlife and ecosystems." Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories. Pedro Ramos, superintendent of Everglades National Park, added that the challenge and record participation highlighted the "importance of citizen engagement as we tackle one of the toughest conservation challenges of our time, invasive exotic species of animals and plants." Other winners this year include hunters who caught dozens of pythons, and a prize for the "longest" snake captured. According to CBS News, the reptiles are native to Asia and likely entered the wild as a result of the exotic pet trade. Per the FWC, Burmese python females lay between 50 and 100 eggs at a time, which facilitates the rapid spread of the snakes. Since 2000, over 23,000 pythons have been captured and removed from the Everglades. To even take part in the challenge, participants were required to pass an online training, per the event's website, and had to kill the pythons humanely. The challenge did not permit the use of firearms, dogs, or other animals. "We could not have done this without the continued support and much-appreciated collaboration with our partners at the South Florida Water Management District and the National Park Service," Roger Young, FWC executive director, said in a statement. "This year's significant addition of Everglades National Park as one of our official Python Challenge competition locations provided an exciting new opportunity for competitors while helping to boost public awareness about invasive Burmese pythons and how people can help." Read the original article on People Solve the daily Crossword
CBS News
2 days ago
- CBS News
Florida woman snags $10,000 and 60 invasive snakes in record-breaking 2025 Python Challenge
When it was all said and done Wednesday, a woman emerged as the top snake slayer of the 2025 Florida Python Challenge. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) announced Taylor Stanberry removed 60 invasive Burmese pythons and claimed the $10,000 Ultimate Grand Prize. Record haul for conservation effort The FWC announced that 934 participants from 30 states and Canada removed a record 294 pythons during the 10-day competition. This year marked the first time Everglades National Park was included among the eight official competition locations. Florida authorities said the competition plays a crucial role in preserving Florida's natural biodiversity and gives residents an active role in environmental protection. A family passion Stanberry, a Naples, Florida resident, alongside her husband, Rhett, runs a Facebook page dedicated to snakes and hunting. The couple also has a YouTube and Instagram page. Python Challenge aims to raise awareness The Florida Python Challenge, now a yearly event, includes public education. "The python, animal that can get 20 feet long and weigh 200 pounds, is destroying the natural food chain. Under the leadership of the FWC, we started the Python Challenge," Ron Bergeron, South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) governing board member, said. The goal is twofold: reduce the impact of the invasive species and raise public awareness about the threat these animals pose to native wildlife in the Greater Everglades ecosystem, state officials said. "The Python Challenge is not just catching pythons. That's a part of it. It's educating the public so that when you're in the Everglades, all of the groups that recreate in the Everglades learn how to remove a python safely year-round," Bergeron said.
